Flower
by Yumiii
Summary: KXZ. Broken by love, tied by death. If the only form of peace rested in your enemy's hand, would you still hold onto it?
1. I

**Flower**

KXZ. Broken by love, tied by death. If the only form of peace rested in your enemy's hand, would still still hold onto it?

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><p>Hi guys :D Yes, I'm back for good! This is just another short story I intend to do for approximately 5 chapters, similar to that of Burning Lantern Bright. It won't be a highly in-depth story, but it's not PWP I can ensure you. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do writing for all you people who have been supporting me for -gaspage- the past twothree years or so. Hence, this is a story very dedicated to you guys. KanameXZero loves forever!

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><p><strong>I<strong>

Three years.

It took her three years to realise that she could no longer bear the pain. She could not take the loss of one, if it meant the other. In the end, she took the easiest way out. She decided to leave. From him, and the both of them. She would rather not endure the pains to be with only one.

"_I know it's selfish of me, but I must do this." _

Those were her final words before she walked away from him.

Could he have stopped her? Yes. Would it have changed anything? Definitely. One of such would be that she would still be alive.

He thought of her as an adult, capable of making her own decisions. He let her go, only to find that it would be forever. Even he as a pureblood, strongest of the strong, was no match for a death god.

If only he had kept her with him. If only he had exerted the usual stuborness and forced her to remain by his side as queen. If only his god-forsaken life was taken instead of her pure-hearted one. Why had another he loved have to be taken from him? Was this punishment? Had it been more amusing to watch him suffer in silence?

Damn it. Damn it all to hell. He would have made this place -this world- a living hell if it was not for the fact the women he had ever loved treasured it. All beings, the vampires and humans, held places in their hearts. The last thing he would ever want to do was to crush it. They wanted both races to co-exist mutually. He could only uphold that unspoken wish. Not as a vampire pureblood, but as Kuran Kaname.

"Kaname-sama, the car is ready."

Giving a brief glance of acknowledgement, Kaname reached out and brushed his fingers across the tombstone. They dipped whenever they slid across the carving of the epitaph.

_Heart of purity  
>Loved by all<em>

_Cherished in memories_

_Never to be forgotten_

_Kuran Yuuki Cross_

Up til the end, Yuuki was never the one to pick sides. Her heart could never truly belong to one, and even in name, she held both pasts as her own regardless of which came first. She insisted she was both a Kuran and a Cross. That was the Yuuki he loved.

"Let's go," Kaname uttered out solemly, standing from where he had been kneeling for the past fifteen minutes. Both Seiren and him began to make their way to the exit of the graveyard where the car waited.

It was ten at night - a time when most vampire rose from their sleep. Kaname had also decided to drop by as part of his weekly visit before work. Yuuki's funeral was held over two weeks ago - ample time for tears to be shed, even though he had done none of it.

Just as he stepped out of the gates, a very familiar scent drifted through the winds. An unforgetful, almost hateful scent that reminded him all Yuuki was.

Peering in the distance at a hill, Kaname narrowed his gaze in the direction of approaching footsteps. With the arrival of another person in view, Kaname watched as the person's face turned scornful as their eyes met.

However, for a brief moment, Kaname had let his eyes observe the person. If it was not because he knew that Kiryuu Ichiru was dead, he might have thought it was the younger twin. This older brother had let his hair grown out, forming a splitting image. As usual, the sealing tattoo on the left side of his neck gave it away that it was Zero. The black overcoat he wore did shield the lower half of the tattoo, though. Beside him was a long apparatus, in which Kaname identified to be a sword sheath.

Kaname had not seen Zero the moment they had parted three years ago in the school grounds. Even his presence at Yuuki's funeral was absent.

Why?

That question alone made his blood boil. Had he loved her so little that he would not even say a proper goodbye? To think that he -_Kaname_- was the heartless one. Surely, Cross would have informed this hunter of the unfortunate event.

Even after lilac eyes met brown ones that seem to possess a red hue, they did not blink. Zero, who would usually give his infamous death glare, simpled overlooked the gaze. He continued walking as if Kaname had not even existed. That, was a first.

The pureblood watched the man disappear in the shadows of the graveyard, since there was no form of lighting available. Once he was out of earshot, Kaname looked over at Seiren.

"I'll find my own way back. I have a score to settle," he said, voice coming out a lot rougher than intended. Without even waiting for a response, he stormed through the gates again, re-entering the graveyard for a second time.

Every step he took made his aura grow. He swore it was probably disturbing enough to wake people from their graves. However, it was something he could not control very well at that present time. Over two weeks of anger and pain was starting to hit its peak, and the hunter was a catalyst behind it.

Kaname could almost predict what would happen. The moment Zero sensed his killer intent, he would have Bloody Rose pointed in his direction. But before the boy could make a proper aim, Kaname would have him by the throat. It was not something new for them. All of the rivalry and hate, despise and resent... _Now_ was a perfect reason to release his fury to the cause.

With the inhuman night vision, he finally found Zero where he expected him to be, back facing him. The silver hair stood out like a sore thumb, anyway. Zero had yet to turn around, maybe due to the fair distance between them that went unnoticed. Kaname did not intend to stop on his advance. He could not wait to get his claws around the other's throat. Yes, claws. His nails by then were elongated and blackened, ready to cut through flesh. They itched to pierce skin. If Kaname could see himself then, he would notice his own eyes turning bloodred even without meaning to.

"I'm sorry, Ichiru," Kaname barely heard through the wind. It was Zero's voice, albeit a whisper. The tone of it had the brunette a little startled, pausing in his steps. The usual, strong and heated tone was reduced to a dejected one. His hands by his sides twitched, as if thinking twice about spilling blood.

"To you too, Yuuki."

There was a hiss of metal. Under very limited amount of moonlight, the reflection of something shiny was directed Kaname's way for a very brief second. Narrowing his gaze, he saw Zero wielding a katana with a blue hilt. Two yellow bells were attached to the end of the hilt by red strings. They tinkled gently, but in such a quiet environment, the bells sounded like simultaneous thunderclaps.

Then, as if in slow motion, Kaname's eyes widened at the sight of Zero raising the katana in level with his shoulder single-handedly. In a fraction of a second, the pureblood could feel the blood rushing to his head in anger.

How dare he? As if her death was not enough, he came to her grave, just to destroy what was left? Had he no shame?

Just as Zero moved the sword, his actions were interrupted by a force which slammed right into his back. It felt like someone had just used a demolisher ball to ram right into him. He could hear bones snapping like twigs under the force. Thrown against Yuuki's tombstone which stood about half his height, he felt the wind being knocked out of him as the edge of the stone crushed him at the level of his abdomen. Slumped over the slab of rock, Zero started hacking out blood, choking.

It took half a second for Zero to recognise such form of power, accompanied by a sudden chill that had just made itself known. It made his blood freeze and boil at the same time, the hair on the back of his neck standing on ends. The air pressure around him started to become heavier, gravity exerted more than necessary.

Unable to keep himself supported, Zero slipped off the smooth, rounded corner of the tombstone, landing adjacent to it. His brother's weapon clattered to the ground beside him before remaining silent on soil and grass. His vision swam as his mind made futile attempts to read the words before him. The closest word to him was 'Kuran'... and speaking of Kuran... He averted his gaze to sideglance at the shadow which towered over him.

Zero could see the crimson eyes that were so red they looked like they were bleeding. The expression on Kuran's face was the darkest he had seen as of yet. Apart from his wounds, the gaze of the pureblood had him paralyzed unconsciously. It felt like a deer staring right into the eyes of a tiger.

Even then, Zero being Zero, simply glared back the best he could. He knew his own threatening gaze faltered, because Kaname's silhouette started to turn hazy. He could feel his body telling his mind to shut down merely to escape the pain. But pain was not the thing he truly wanted to flee from. It was reality.

Kaname watched as the boy put up a final front, throwing one last glare before his lilac eyes closed. Zero was not dying yet. The brunette could hear the boy's heartbeat as loudly as his own that was ringing in his ears. It was slow, but by no means at a rate that was life-threatening. As expected of Zero, to have survived one of his attacks which was delivered almost at full force. However, he was not finished.

Without a care for the other man's injuries or well-being, he knelt and grabbed the silver locks behind Zero's head. Blood was trailing down both corner of his lips. The more he stared at the blood, the more his chest started to ache. It was not alike the sensation of pain, but more like an urge. His own heart started to race. Back then, he had a brief taste of what Zero's blood was like on the day he forced the hunter to take his blood. By no means was it unusually delicious, but it had not been disgusting especially since it ran with hate. It had been forever that he wanted to rip the neck open again.

Tilting Zero's head back, Kaname nuzzled the collar of the coat away, taking in his scent. Even if he had not wanted to, breathing in the other's smell was unavoidable at such close contact. For some reason though, Zero's scent mixed with blood was driving his senses wild. He blamed it on the fact that he had not consumed the essence of life for an abnormally long amount of time. He had not even depended on the successfully manufactured blood tablets. And here, laying before him was the satisfaction he could obtain. Zero was presented in a mnner that was simply unresistable.

Long fangs brushed against his lower lip as he opened his mouth. Kaname could tell they were eager to bite down. They tingled and itched, and the only way he knew how to get rid of such annoying sensation was to repeatedly thrust them through a medium, namely skin and flesh. His tongue extened out, licking the side of the neck that had not borne the tattoo. He could taste a tinge of salty sweat despite it being winter, but it was not nasty at all.

Licking as if to clean, Kaname worked on the skin slowly, savouring it as his prey would not be running anywhere anytime soon. The one thing he was hoping for at that point in time was Zero to be awake – what a sight it would have been to see the hunter's face as he bit and drank him dry.

Giving one last lick, Kaname extended his jaw to the fullest, letting out an almost snake-like hiss as his plunged both fangs into the delicate neck. Zero showed no response, clearly out like a candle flame. Clamping his mouth over the neck, Kaname felt the liquid collect in his mouth quickly. He drank without remorse. Zero deserved this. He tried to ruin Yuuki even in her death bed. It was more than he could take, and tolerance was out of the question.

Drinking in deep, rapid gulps, Kaname could hear Zero's heartbeat start to waver. However, he could not care less. Zero's blood was only beginning to sate him. He wanted -_needed_- so much more...

A soft clattering noise caught Kaname's attention and he glanced up from he was, fangs never leaving the neck. His bloodred eyes widened at the sight of a small crystal case. It had rolled out of Zero's other hand, knocking against the stone slab before coming to a halt. Eyes fixated on the bottle's content, Kaname felt his heart stop when he found himself staring at a rose bud suspended in colorless resin.

It was the present he had given Yuuki after one of the summer breaks back when they were still in Cross Academy. What had the pureblood feeling even more troubled was the bottle rocking very minutely right under Yuuki's name. His blood turned to ice.

Why was Kiryuu holding onto this? How did he get it?

The very first thing which came to Kaname's mind was that Zero was involved in Yuuki's death. There were only three things which could kill a pureblood: a strong vampire, a powerful hunter, or suicide. The last option was out of the equation, which left the first two. By no means was Zero weak – he knew what the boy was capable of. What had him gritting his teeth in anger was Zero's vow before he parted with Yuuki.

"_I will hunt you down and kill you." _

Those were the words repeating in his head dreadfully. Had Zero lost his mind to kill the person he loved, and had ever only loved him? This was preposterous. It was unforgivable, no matter what the reason was. Killing a pureblood was a crime of all crimes, and by law it was acceptable to kill the murderer upon sight.

Black talons raised, Kaname pulled back with his teeth tightly clenched. His eyes were raging crimson like a wildfire ablaze, while his heart turned to ice, frozen to any form of remorse and pity. Nails aligned side-by-side to form the end similar to that of a sword, Kaname brought his hand down, aiming straight for Zero's heart.

"Kana... sorry..."

The brunette's hand immediately froze. The sharp tip of his longest nail had already broken through Zero's shirt and skin, causing blood to swell under it.

It sounded as if Kiryuu had just mentioned his name. It was unlikely though, since there was not a chance that the hunter would address him by his name, be it out of intimacy or resent. And the way Zero's tone had just sincerely apologised made his heart waver.

His inner demon started to rage war with his mind, telling him to just rip the heart out while it still beats. That there was no reason to let this murderer live as a life for a life. Still, his hand was hesitant. His mind and body were working in two very seperate directions, and his heart was the last to make a decision. To kill or not to kill. It would not be killing such a talented hunter that he might regret. It was the truth behind Yuuki's death that no one knew of.

His hand retreated, the black talons shrinking and fading to a normal color. He picked Zero up, albeit roughly, throwing the boy over his shoulder like a potato sack. Before he stood up, he retrieved the resin rose, glancing to the other side where the katana laid. It was a hassle to carry the sword back, but he did so anyway. It was an important momento, afterall.

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><p>PS. Yes, my avatar is a cosplay between a friend and I. I being Kaname.<p> 


	2. II

Sorry for the extremely long, long awaited update. Author's notes at the end

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><p>Even though Kaname's patience wore thin waiting for the hunter to wake from his recovery sleep, he remained un-forceful. It would have been easy; perhaps a bucket of cold water. But keeping in mind what injury Zero had been inflicted with, he decided that some decency should be exhibited. It had been six days since the incident at the graveyard, and never once since then had Zero woke up.<p>

He was tended to by a trusted human doctor who had experience with both race. It came as no surprise to the pureblood when a compiled list of wounds, longer than an average grocery list, was presented. Broken ribs, fractured sternum, near dislocated spine, and partial effusion of the lungs accompanied by a punctured diaphragm, prior to the rib injury. Superficially, there was a large, horizontal bruising over his abdomen where it had collided with the hard tombstone. Add in the unsurprising condition of anaemia , the doctor was surprised that Zero was still breathing, seeing as half his lung had almost fully collapsed. It was only because the request belonged to Kaname that Haoka had put all the effort into keeping the boy alive.

At present, Zero remained motionless on the bed of the guest room. His condition was stabilized a day ago, with no adverse effects. The vampire in him was still active, healing at an inhuman rate. Though, the process might have accelerated if Zero was in 'better health'. Both Kaname and Haoka kept a close watch on his condition, each with their reasons The pureblood wanted answers and the doctor... well, he was doing his job. It all came down to when the hunter would finally decide to wake.

_=Flower=_

_"Are you turning your back against the Association?_

_"I'm just not breaking any laws."_

"_Still such a kid. Hadn't Yagari taught you well?"_

"_Don't bring sensei into this!" _

"_You're being fooled, boy! You will now learn what being a true vampire hunter is! Unbound by laws or rules – our only goal is to remove the existence of every goddamn vampire, pureblood or not!" _

"NO!" Zero shouted, lilac eyes flicking open widely. His own breathing defeaned his ears, heart thundering in sync. A hand of his reached out to a high ceiling, grasping nothing but air. He could feel the perspiration trickling down the side of his head where he laid. Clenching his outstretched hand, he brought it to his face, right over his eyes.

He could not take it anymore. If even in death he would still have this nightmare, when could he truly be free?

Zero squinted a little despite his eyes being closed. Was he even dead?

The weight on his head told him otherwise, while the other hand was grasping sheets that were silky soft and comfortable. Maybe he was not dead after all. That might just explain another sleep being haunted by the event which never failed to repeat the moment he closed his eyes.

Removing his hand, he stared at an empty ceiling. There were no lights whatsoever, and Zero traced the origin of light to candles that were on the side table.

Quite evidently, this was not the room he stayed in the apartment. He had a proper bulb for light and most definitely did not possess a bedside table with fancy red candles. There was only one place which had such a non-modern setup from memory, and he groaned from it.

Surprisingly, Zero was not as shock as he had expected himself to be. He recalled Kuran being the last person he saw before passing out, so there were only two possibilities: this was some part of the pureblood's estate, or a fancy room for a prisoner to be housed before an execution. Somehow, the second though had been more appealing.

No matter what was going to happen, he had to keep his cool. Be the person he usually was – cold, focused, and being ready for anything.

Zero sat up slowly. Or at least, he intended to, until he felt a sharp pain on his back, somewhere in the middle. He could not even roll to the side without the sharp pain returning. Gritting his teeth, he swore he would get the pureblood for this.

That said, Zero stiffened a little when a cold chill started to creep up his spine. Guessing who it originated from was hardly required. Speak of the devil, Kaname had stepped into the room, making a grand entrance with two doors opening. Two individuals in which he presumed to be the guards closed the doors behind the brunette, leaving the room dead silent.

Without acknowledging the arrival even with a look, Zero returned to stare at the ceiling. It was pointless to feign sleep.

"How's your back?"

"Funny how you sound concerned when you're the cause of it," Zero retorted back right away. "Save your pity points for someone who actually cares."

"Clearly, your head has not been seriously injured enough to be mentally unstable."

This time, Zero had to turn his head to look over at Kaname with a glower. The pureblood returned him with a smile, one that had Zero's skin crawling.

"So what's the big event that had you so graciously meeting me?"

The pureblood did not reply right away. He came to stand beside the bed, quite literally looking down at the other. A flash of anger in his eyes was all Zero saw before his airway way being blocked by a forceful hand around his throat. Reflexively, his hands started to pry away the vice grip, while glaring hard up at Kuran.

It was then Kaname's other hand had pulled out the resin-suspended rose bud, right in Zero's field of vision. At the same time, lilac eyes widened, seemingly understanding the situation right away.

Kaname let the neck go, watching as Zero breathed with coughs. In a matter of seconds, the hunter's respiratory system recovered, and he remained scowling at the brunette.

"You know what I want... Or do I have to spell it out for you?" Kaname questioned, pocketing the ornament in his coat.

Giving a scoff, an almost a grin, Zero averted his gaze from the other, looking on the other side where Kaname wasn't standing. "Is age starting to atrophise your brain? Because I thought the situation was obvious enough."

"I don't believe that you would intentionally bring harm to her."

That line made Zero grit his teeth together. It sparked something in him. A reminder of what he had done.

"Really?" The hunter drawled slowly. "It sure didn't seem that way with what you tried back at the graveyard." Clear sarcasm, as he always did.

"That... was a mistake on my part. Or by the least, don't make me regret my decision for saving you," Kaname corrected himself, crossing his arms.

Zero's head turned, and lilac met brown. There was a very brief moment of silence, as Zero seemed to be searching for something.

"Forget it." Although the pain was still causing his entire form to be screaming, he forced himself to a sitting position. He hated how Kaname was staring down at him. The latter took no liberty in aiding the act, simply watching as it took a few attempts before Zero was successful. With his entire form bent over, and a hand clutching the side where his previous injured lung was, Zero glared at the other occupant of the room. "You just want to know who killed her, don't you? Or how I managed to get that little present of yours, in which rightfully belongs to her."

"I don't deny," Kaname replied with a hint of urgency.

"Then you shouldn't be wasting your breath or time. Your royal deduction is right. _I_ killed her."

Even before another second passed, Zero cringed at an impact on his chest, as his back slammed against the solid wood frame of the bed head. More than that, he could feel several sharp points right on his front, like daggers about to pierce right through his soul. He couldn't even see what was going on as his head swam from the collision. It took a moment to refocus his vision, and he was met with crimson eyes which promised bloody murder.

"She _loved_ you, and you _killed_ her? Words can't express my disappointment in you. To think that you're human-"

"I _was_ human! Until you bunch of sick bastards came and decided to take everything from me!" Zero barked back angrily, his own hand clasped around the pureblood's neck tightly. "Isn't this what you horde of vampires do? _Kill _people? And here I thought I was doing something my supposed _race_ would be doing." He didn't even flinch when the pin-pricks from Kaname's nails started to dig even deeper in warning.

"This isn't about being a vampire, Kiryuu," Kaname hissed out. "What you did was worse than a crime. Killing a pureblood, and to top it off, the woman who loved you so much that she would _die_ for you."

Suddenly, Zero's grip around the pureblood's neck slackened. Lilac eyes were widened, as if in realisation. It wasn't often that Kaname saw such shocked expression, especially from this person. The action was reciprocated, albeit unwillingly, and Kaname's own fingers flexed a little to release the points of his nails on the other's chest.

Something was amiss.

With his head lowered, the brunette couldn't see the expression any longer. It was the first time he had seen such a defeated form of Kiryuu's. Shoulders slumped, and his hands clutched the sheets beneath him restlessly. It was then Kaname realised that they were actually trembling.

"It doesn't change the fact that I killed her," came a soft uttering. Zero glanced up, and orbs with the usual ire in them met Kaname's. But there was something else hidden in them, and it made Kaname hesitate. "There's the truth you want to hear. So, Kuran, are you going to kill me, or not?"

_=Flower=_

Kaname had been so distracted that he hadn't realised that his coffee was too hot for immediate consumption. He ended up burning his tongue, but the stinging sensation went away in mere seconds. Just adjacent to his work table opposite of where he sat, Seiren showed a very minute hint of concern.

Taking a deep breath, the brunette laid his coffee mug on a wooden coaster, before leaning into his chair and rubbing his temple with a thumb. The situation was a headache to him. The conversation with Kiryuu some few hours back left his head in a mess. Or more specifically, his emotions. They said actions speak louder than words.

What Kiryuu had said started to stitch doubt into his decisions. Yes, the boy admitted that he had stained his hands with Yuuki's blood. He wasn't lying; Kaname could tell. However, what was that look of accusation he had seen the last time they had looked each other in the eyes? It confused him. If Kiryuu had truly murdered her, he wouldn't have that look. According to his sister, the hunter was a bad liar, both in words and actions.

So what exactly happened at that time, when Zero claimed he had killed Yuuki?

The sudden vibration of his phone on the table caused it to rattle noisily, forcing Kaname avert his thoughts. He reached for his phone, and his caller, Hanabusa, greeted him first.

"Did you manage to contact Cross?"

"_Yes, we did, Kaname-sama. And we're going to get our hands full with the current situation."_

"How so?" The brunette asked curiously. He tossed his guard a look and gave a small wave of his hand. The lady immediately disappeared into thin air, respecting the privacy needed.

"_Just six weeks ago, Daine Jyouma was released from his five-year house arrest." _

"Daine? The hunter?"

"_Yes, Kaname-sama. The man who held crimes for murdering countless of vampires, even those not in the list."_

"What has he got to do with Yuuki's death?"

Hanabusa on the other line caught the impatience, since it had not seemed directly related to what his leader has requested of him. He cleared his throat, about to say more than what Kaname might be able to digest.

"_Kiryuu's parents had a good friend, and without a surprise, was Daine Jyouma. He partook in training the twins as well. Many of the Hunter Association members believe his sudden massacre in the vampire race was precipitated by the murder of the Kiryuu family. In order not to tip the treaty, __they placed him in house arrest rather than a death penalty since he was still held high in regard. In a way, they're pardoning him for the murders. He knows that Kiryuu is the only survivor, and surely he must want to meet him, which leads to an event near the time after he was released. It was believed that Daine had came in contact with Zero."_

"Yuuki had left the estate near that time. Are you suggesting that she might have bumped into situation at the wrong timing?"

"_It's highly possible, Kaname-sama. However..." _Hanabusa paused on the line. Kaname heard him taking a deep breath, mustering up the will to continue._ "It is a true fact that Kiryuu had killed her. By the time the association had found Kiryuu to intercept the situation, they found him leaning over Yuuki-sama, his katana through her heart. Daine was no where in sight. This was about three weeks ago. _

"_Since then, Zero had been kept within the walls of the Hunter Association. Alike Daine, they considered a pardon, but the chance of it was near zero, merely because Kiryuu is half-vampire." _

_So in the end, they were going to kill him anyway?_ Kaname thought to himself, listening closely. That was also the reason why he wasn't seen at Yuuki's funeral. He was being held arrested.

The pureblood's free hand tightened into a fist. Somehow, he felt he misunderstood the situation. Yet, there the evidence was, leading right to the murderer. Even Kiryuu hadn't verbally denied of his doing. So why did the boy had to look so damn accused like it wasn't his fault?

"_Just over a week ago, Kiryuu fled the assication grounds. It was reported that he took his gun, his brother's katana, and the rose resin belonging to Yuuki-sama. No news of him after." _

"Thank you. That's all I need to know," Kaname ended the conversation. He was about shut his phone when he heard his name being called out, with Hanabusa wanting to say a few more words.

"_I know it may not be my place to say this... But please don't let words cause your heart to waver."_

"..." The brunette was slightly dumb founded by the advice given. Nevertheless, he knew it was because Hanabusa was being concerned. "Thank you. I'll keep that in mind."

Kaname placed his phone on the table, letting out a rare sigh. The situation might just be more complicated than he thought.

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><p>Eheheheh by now I'm sure just about the entire population of readers would love to bleed me dry and make me a roast! I do apologise profusely. Real life has its shittiness XD Distractions, uni... Plus, a procrastinating streak is not favorable when it comes to this! Hence, I can only keep saying sorry, and present you with chapters I promise (Yes, I'm sorry CoH fans. I'm still working on that! I swear on my life!)<p>

In any case, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It's a slightly different approach (as always?) from my other stories. Must more angst X1000 here haha. That's just cos I love to keep you guys in suspense. I'm so evil -hearts-. But you know I love you guys! Really, I do! -throws confetti-

Slowly, the story begins to unfold. I'm sure you guys would make great deductions and guesses, and I'm sure you'd get the situation right! Hehehe. Catch you guys soon!

Yumiii

**P.S If you like Slam Dunk, watch Kuroko no Basuke is the next big hit. I might even end up writing fics for it!**

P.S.S my avatar is KnB XD Not my cosplay anymore


	3. III

**III**

Kaname had been surprisingly gracious. In true fact, Zero would have never expected the pureblood to let him live. Tending to his wounds, even. He doubted the word 'guilt' really existed in Kaname's dictionary. Yet, over the span of the following days, the brunette had taken the time and effort into changing bandages and towel bathing him. These sort of jobs could have been easily accomplished with a few minions, Zero was sure. Or maybe Kaname was just trying to butter up to him to extract further information?

Knowing Kaname though, Zero had a gut feeling that it wasn't the case. Well, he hoped not, anyway.

Gradually, Zero's mobility restored. He could walk and move around the room a little, but not for a prolonged periods of time. He could not refuse the aid he received when he was caught limp on the floor, immobile from either pain or the lack of strength. And every single time, it was Kaname who offered it.

Words could have never described how irritated Zero tend to be whenever Kaname was around. He found the brunette highly hypocritical in his actions. Just days ago he was on the murder list, and now he was being all gentle and nonchalant. They spoke little to each other, or at least Kaname to Zero when he needed the hunter to do something trivial like taking his clothes off.

Since then, it had been a different atmosphere, and it had been downright creepy. It reminded Zero of a pig fed well before a slaughter. What made the situation even more tense was the lack of questioning from the pureblood. Any persons would have thought Kaname was normal... but Zero was just _any_ person, and Kaname was definitely _not_ normal.

The frustration that had been building up within Zero was starting to show its colors. If stress had been a general term for the feeling, he would probably in the severe stage. He didn't know why, but his nights were starting to be sleepless. At first, they came in headaches, which he could easily ignore. Then, it was not only his head that hurt. His entire form started to break into tremors, and his sensitivity to his surroundings shot through the roof. It never did help that these worsened whenever Kaname was around.

Being dead might have been a relief from this sort of pain. Eventually, he snapped.

_=Flower= _

Kaname winced at the sharp pains originating from his neck. He had been ready for this, but of course, mental preparations were yards apart from physical. With his fingers tangled through the silver locks, he tried to control the vicious devouring on his neck, but that proved rather useless. Zero was too lost in the ectasy of thirst.

The moment he had stepped into the room Zero was held in, he could feel the familiar predatory aura lingering in the air. Zero was not in his field of vision, which could only mean that he was either in the bathroom or the blind spot behind the large bed, before the windows. Opting to check the bathroom first, he headed in the direction of the closed door on his far left. However, a shuffling noise from the back told him the location of the hunter otherwise. He immediately turned the same time he heard Zero lunge from behind him.

Kaname managed to dodge an almost feral attack of Zero's. Crimson eyes met hazel brown ones, and the hunter elicited a soft growl at the missed chance. He was about to take another lunge when Kaname launched an assault of his own, grasping the rabid hunter by his throat and slamming the other onto the carpetted ground. A choked gasp escaped Zero, but it did not end there. Kaname seized the hands that were scrabbling his arm and shredding his sleeves, and pinned them over Zero's head. His legs, on the other hand, effectively locked the other's hips to prevent the other from bucking him off.

"Snap out of it, Kiryuu!" Kaname hissed out after releasing the hand on the throat and giving Zero a tight slap across his cheek. "_Don't_ give me another reason to kill you."

The blow had worked, just as the brunette thought twice of delivering a few more to wake the boy out of his feral state. Zero's breathing returned to normal from the heavy ragged kind, and when he opened his eyes, the redness had decreased by a tint. When they averted to look at Kaname, the brunette let out a very small sigh.

"I'm not going to deny you this one time," the brunette continued. He undid the top buttons of his top and shifted the collar aside.

With belated realization, Zero knew that Kaname had been ready for this occurence to happen. "I'm... not going to thank... you for this..." He managed to growl out through grit teeth.

Kaname could tell the amount of restraint the other was trying to , the eyes which have never once left his neck told him otherwise.

"I never expected you to do anything." Those were the last words exchanged before Zero was being raised off the floor, and a very brief sight of long fangs before they disappeared into the side of Kaname's neck.

The pureblood hadn't expected Zero to hold out from a blood source this long, especially with whatever had happened. In fact, he wondered if Zero actually remembered that he would be thirsty. From Cross, he recalled that the hunter was able to live off the manufactured blood tablets once more. Maybe he had not taken the original sustenance in ages. Then again, the damage done to the boy's body had been rather fatal, and most of his strength was spent repairing.

A sharp wince escaped Kaname. The messy way Zero was feeding off his neck clearly proved that the boy had absolutely little to no experience when drinking. As ridiculous as it sounded, there was an art to it. Like a paintbrush, a swift stroke was a lot neater than a slow, dragging one. Zero had been depressing his fangs into his neck gradually, causing the pain to flicker instead of remaining dull and constant which would have been a lot more comfortable.

When Kaname deemed it sufficient, he disengaged their bodies. He forcefully tugged at the silver hair, causing Zero to jerk his head back abruptly. It caused the hunter's fangs to graze his open wound a little, but Kaname took little notice of that. Instead, he was staring straight into a pair of glowing crimson eyes that were dazed. The image of Zero looking this lost was highly amusing to him.

Zero's system had been trying to adjust to the potent dosage of blood he had taken, leaving his thought processes all muddled. Kaname had to keep the other seated or the latter would have earned himself a bump on the back of his head.

It took a while, but the hunter eventually regained his senses. Zero blinked away the redness that seemed to film his vision, bringing a hand up to press against his aching forehead. The pains he had been experiencing had also started to fade, though his stomach felt like lurching. He came to notice the close proximity he shared with another person.

For the hunter, it had been a mistake to glance upwards, for when he did, his face was a mere inch away from Kaname's. The latter thought nothing more than an accidental close contact, but Zero had a heightened response to it.

The ex-human bolted from where he had been seated. He backed against the wall, panting with his arm across his middle which felt worse with the sudden outburst in action. Kaname had thought the boy was simply appalled by the closeness between them. They were not exactly buddies after all.

"You're welcome," the brunette said bluntly as he stood up. As he fixed his unkempt clothing, he eyed Zero, who was still in a state of shock where he stood. Kaname was about to make a crude statement when he noticed something a little off.

Not only his bloodstained lips, but the hunter's face was also red. In fact, the first description in Kaname's head was 'embarrassed'. But what could Zero be embarrassed about? This was not the first time he had let the other take his blood. The last Kaname recalled, Zero had decided to throw a fit, not cower like some shy schoolgirl.

"Get... get out!" Zero tried to snap, but his voice escaped as a weak croak instead. The lower half of his face was being shielded by his hand, eyes cast to the ground next to Kaname.

The pureblood merely snorted at the weak command, wondering what got Zero so uptight. What they had done was nothing unusual. Feeling a little thirsty all of a sudden, he opted to retreat for the night. The last thing he wanted to do was reciprocate the bite, which would have made the offering redundant. Besides, he ought to wash away the dried blood that coasted his skin, no thanks to the messy consumer,.

"Get yourself cleaned up, then," Kaname replied and headed towards the door. Just as he exited, he cast a quick glance at Zero. The boy was unmoving, and he let the latter be.

The moment the door shut with a click, Zero's legs finally gave way. He dropped to his knees, not even mindful of the pain upon impact. A certain kind of pain had hurt a lot more than a physical one.

Feelings Zero had thought he had supressed, or even forgotten, resurfaced again. All the effort he had put into trying to cast away the very emotion was all for naught.

He had spent the past three years lying to himself in order not to experience that very pain. The act he had put up mirroring hatred was his shield - his facade in order not to let this deep secret of his to be known. Zero had known, from a very long time ago that he never once stood a chance. That never once, would he be even cast a glimpse by the _two_ he came to find himself loving far too deeply...

Back when they met once more outside the graveyard, Zero could not deny that he was momentarily thrilled. The crushing feeling he felt on his shoulders because of Yuuki simply had an upperhand then, masking out all the positive emotions he had then.

_"Your irrational love for these vampires makes you unworthy of being a hunter."_

Zero clenched his fists next to his knees. He knew that, very well. It was clearly a forbidden act to be falling for someone of the same gender... and an enemy, no less. But he could not help it. The cheerful, caring and positive Yuuki had lodged a place in his heart. She had showed him the brighter side of life. He always had her undying support, and like a partner in crime, she would always have his back covered, and he would hers.

Kaname, on the other hand... He had never realised he had feelings for the damned pureblood until it was too late. The hatred he had for the pureblood grew alongside the curiosity he had. As much as he did not want to admit it, Kaname was different from other vampires. That difference alone that he had witnessed over the course of time being in Cross Academy caused his feelings for the brunette to change, much to his dismay. Only his heart knew the truth.

He had really wished that Kaname simply ripped said heart out. It would have hurt a lot less, than having to deal with the reality that Yuuki was dead, and that the brunette would hate him forever.

_=Flower=_

The pureblood stared at the rose resin that nestled in the palm of his hand. It was almost a temptation to wrap his fingers around it and simply crush the flower within out of both anger and pain. However, it would have been a bad move as the resin within was considered toxic to the vampire skin. It was colorless, liquid lead, after all. Instead, Kaname let the glass roll back and forth within his grasp, watching as the rose twirled within its encasing.

Truthfully, he wondered why he was letting Zero breathe to this day. It was clear that he was housing a criminal whose fair punishment was death. But torturing the hunter would have been much too troublesome and cliche. Somehow, he felt that the guilt he had sensed from a while back had been the predominant factor that held him back. He never once forgot the look on Zero's face – the expression that told him that many things went unseen.

In fact, it had been an image ingrained so deeply in his memory that it would distract him more often that he liked. He had a mind to question Zero every time they met. Yet, his voice could never function that way he wanted. For someone who had been very up front, the hesitation bothered Kaname a lot more than it should.

Momentarily lost in his thoughts, the pureblood had only came to take note of his surroundings once more when the resin rose slipped out of his palm. Thanks to his reflexes, he had caught it in time, saving it from shattering to pieces. It had been a close call.

_Speaking of close call..._

Kaname recalled a conversation he had just hours before with a particular individual.

"_Kaname-sama, how is Kiryuu?" Hanabusa questioned out of curiosity. He had been over at his leader's place to submit a report. _

_The question had the brunette glance up from reading, and the blond evidently stiffened a little. Clearing his throat, Kaname replied: "He's fine. Most of his injuries have healed well."_

"_Ah..." The blond trailed off with a small nod. _

"_I'm surprised, Hanabusa, that you care about his wellbeing," Kaname mused out, which ended the other choking on air. _

"_N-no! It's not that!" Hanabusa tried to deny, but the brunette saw through him easily, as usual. __Slouching a little in awkwardness, the noble averted his gaze from the person seated before him. "I mean... I don't like Kiryuu because of his insolence towards Kaname-sama but..." _

_Kaname arched a fine brow when he saw that Hanabusa fell silent. The other seemed to be thinking twice about what he wanted to say next. The fact that Hanabusa had added a 'but' to his statement made him interested in the further words, and Kaname encouraged with saying 'and?'. _

"_I don't believe that Kiryuu is Yuuki-sama's..." _

_The topic brought up of his sibling immediately had the pureblood dropping the temperature of the room by a few degrees. Hanabusa evidently froze where he stood, and he swallowed. It was clearly taboo to even mention the lady's name. _

"_And why do you say that?" Kaname pressed on. That very moment, the blond started to fear for his life. The selection of inappropriate words may just cost him his neck. _

"_Kiryuu is a person with judgement," Hanabusa started, using all the will he had not to stutter. "He may have been hostile towards vampires, as it's in his nature as a hunter. However, he was never a reckless individual. And most of all, Kiryuu loves Yuuki-sama."_

_As quickly as the temperature dropped, the noble felt the room elevate back to its norm. The tingling sensation on his skin dissipated, indicating that Kaname had calmed. Inside, Hanabusa was relieved. Though he was sure that the pureblood was not going to kill him or anything, there could be other things scarier than death when it came to Kaname. _

"_That, you are right..." Kaname said as he continued browsing through the document his subordinate had brought to him._

_Hanabusa blinked. "Sorry?" _

"_Kiryuu would have never hurt her... not intentionally anyway." Hazel eyes focused on a certain line amongst the whole page of text. "Hanabusa, I would like to trouble you to do something for me." _

"_Of course, Kaname-sama," said person lowered his head a little. _

"_I need you to drop by at Cross Academy, and speak to the chairman. Although I could call him, I'd prefer not to, just in case anyone, especially the Association and Council, can track the call. Ask the chairman about Daine, and his relationship with the Kiryuu family. In detail."_

"_Understood, Kaname-sama." _

He should be expecting his subordinate's presence soon. In truth, he would not have troubled Hanabusa to do his bidding, but having had a fairly large amount of blood taken from him, he had yet to fully recover. And the last thing he would want to do was risk walking out in a weakened state. However, he needed to obtain said information quickly.

Kaname admitted to himself that he had been so caught up in Yuuki's death that he was blind to the things around him. His tunnel vision led him to focus all his rage on Zero. It was only after he had calmed with the past few days to think, that he could start piecing the puzzle together. Jyouma was said to be present, but was gone, when Zero was found with Yuuki dead. The hunter looked guilty, and seemed to be hiding something. That had Kaname suspicious that Daine had a role in this incident.

What still puzzled him was Zero's admitting to having killed Yuuki.

The brunette flicked his gaze to his phone ringing. With a brief glance at the caller's name, he picked the phone up.

"Hanabusa? You're taking quite a whi-"

"_Kaname-kun!"_ The chairman's voice interrupted instead. Kaname could tell something was wrong right away. He stood up from his seat, pressing the phone closer to his ear.

"Chairman?"

"_Yes, it's me."_ He sounded panicked, which was definitely not a good sign.

"Why do you have Hanabusa's mobile?"

"_Listen, there is little time for details. I just found Hanabusa, and he was attacked by Jyouma. He's in a critical condition, so I'm taking him to the hospital." _Kaname sped out his office, calling his men to prepare the car. His phone never once left his ear as he listened to the man continue speaking in a disturbingly worried tone. _"Also, I discovered that Hanabusa had been given a truth serum. If I'm not wrong, Jyouma is heading to your place right now to retrieve Zero."_

His initial destination had been the school, but hearing those words, he changed his mind. "I'm on my way back," the brunette reported.

"_I'm sorry, Kaname-kun, for needing you to protect Zero." _

Kaname stiffened a little at the words. He was partially tempted to reply that he was not actually _protecting_ Zero, so to speak. He had just yet to figure out what to do with the boy. He kept these thoughts to himself, and replied that it was not an issue to be apologising for.

"_Jyouma's hatred for vampires is highly irrational, fueled by the death of the Kiryuu family. The only reason that he has yet to kill Zero is probably because he still cherishes the boy. However, knowing him, he would still kill any vampire, E or not, so be careful."_

"Understood." With that, the brunette ended the call just as he entered the prepared transport. Clenching his phone, he swore that he was going to rip this hunter apart with his bare hands.

_=Flower= _

Zero stirred to something brushing against his cheek. It had been a warm, gentle contact and it made him retain his calmness. "Kana...?" He muttered out. From where he laid on the bed, he slowly blinked his eyes open.

The first object that registered in his vision was a gun. A _hunter_ gun.

The moment Zero's eyes widened in realization to whom the weapon belonged to, a hand clasped over his mouth. Another hand had swiped up both his wrists in midst of his confusion, and lilac orbs were staring straight up at focused, dark brown ones.

"Fancy finding you here, Zero," a low, husky voice said. It made the young hunter's skin crawl. "Did you come to shelter yourself in a vampire's home? Or are you here as a prisoner?"

Zero tried to launch an assault on the older male with his knee, but his legs were pinned against the bed by the older man's own. Now, Jyouma was almost fully on top of Zero, save a single foot on the floor.

"Now, now. Is that the way to treat your teacher, Zero?" The cropped, black-haired individual questioned as he received a glare. A soft grunt escaped him after when his hand was being bitten by something sharp.

"Get the fuck off me!" The younger hunter spat, fury blazing in his eyes.

Frowning at the harsh response he was getting, Jyouma tightened his grip on the wrists that were trying to twist their way to freedom. "I'm here to save you from the vampire, and this is how you treat me?"

"I don't need saving, especially from someone with the likes of you!"

Gaze narrowed, Jyouma raised his free hand, clearly about to land a hit across Zero's face. The latter flinched back in reflex, eyes shutting tightly.

At that very moment, the door slammed open, hitting the wall with a loud thud. Jyouma was being flung towards the balcony, crashing through the doors leading to it. Glass which fell from the door frame shattered on the floor, glinting under the moonlight.

Zero felt a cold chill spread through the entire room. There had only been one person who could be doing this, and when Zero pushed himself up from the bed, he was met with a very, very pissed pureblood.

"You _dare_ step into my place, you filthy vermin?" Kaname's voice hissed, sounding deadlier than ever. Even Zero, who had been somewhat used to the brunette's hostility, was shaken even though the words had not been directed at him.

Jyouma brushed his cheek where a cut was made from the glass, and let out a low chuckle. "If it isn't Kuran number one... Tell me, are you planning to kill my young apprentice?"

Zero stiffened at the question. He side-glanced at the pureblood who came to stand in the middle of the room, approaching the uninvited person.

"Maybe, after I find out the truth."

"Truth?" The older hunter burst out laughing, an arm crossing his middle as if it had starting hurting already. "Zero, did you not tell this vampire what you had done?"

"Shut up!" Zero yelled all of a sudden.

Jyouma merely grinned at the young hunter's angry, but fearful gaze. "The truth was that Zero had been too weak to fulfil his rightful duty as a hunter. He refused to kill that female vampire, so I simply gave him an incentive. Controlling him was easy with a hunter charm. _I_ made him kill her."

Hazel eyes turned crimson and a shockwave was sent in the older hunter's direction. Jyouma dodged the invisible attack by rolling to the side, effectively avoiding any damage in the large balcony. The hand that he had purposefully put near his weapon drew it up, firing with aimed precision at the brunette's head. The pureblood in turn managed to avoid a major injury, but the bullet managed to graze his cheek.

Wincing at the stinging sensation from his new minor wound, Kaname swung his arm out in the direction of where Jyouma was, crouched. Just as he was about to send another blast towards the human, he felt his vision falter for a brief second, accompanied with his arm paralysing. That had been an opening for the experienced hunter, and the gun was being fired again.

"Kuran!" Zero's voice shouted, and the pureblood grunted when he felt his body being tackled to the floor. Kaname could feel another body covering his, and the smell Zero's blood filled his senses right away. Snapping his gaze to the side, he found the ex-human's shoulder bleeding profusely and face contorted in pain.

"What a reckless move that was, Zero. Don't tell me you're going to protect this blood sucker too?" Jyouma, who was already standing before the two fallen vampires, growled with his gun pointing down at them.

"You'll have to kill me first," Zero seethed out through grit teeth. He shifted closer to the pureblood, intercepting all paths to the vital areas. Namely the brunette's chest and head.

Dark brown eyes bore deep into lilac ones which never wavered for a second. There was a huge amount of hesitance within the older hunter, no doubt about it. Kaname has used the chance to push Zero's form aside and propelled a strong kinetic blast at the hunter. The force sent Jyouma flying back against the balcony railing, hard enough to cause it to dent.

Jyouma coughed out a small amount of blood, clutching his aching chest. He glared at the vampire. "This is not over!" He yelled angrily. Clutching the bent railing behind him, the hunter leapt over it and disappeared into the darkness below.

It took a moment for Zero to process what had actually happened within a timeframe of merely five minutes. However, the sharp pain originating from his shoulder reminded him of the condition he was in, and he gritted his teeth to hold back from making any noises. Remembering the pureblood's state as well, he looked over his shoulder from where he sat. Kaname remained lying on his side, peering up at Zero in question, eyes void of crimson.

"I don't think we can move for a while," Zero muttered out, averting his gaze from the other. "The bullet he used was meant for non-E vampires. The purer your blood, the greater the effects."

"Is that why I seem to be unable to move?" Kaname drawled in an annoyed manner.

"For a while. He didn't score a direct hit, after all."

The pureblood fell silent in contemplation. The only reason why he had not been suffering from a potentially fatal wound was because of Zero. The latter had taken the second shot for him.

"Why did you?" The question slipped out loud.

Surprised lilac eyes locked onto curious hazel ones. Zero's jaw dropped a little, as if about to speak. However, the hunter turned away instead.

"Because I'll be the one who kills you."

Kaname did not miss the slight redness on the other's cheeks.

* * *

><p>|DDD chapter 3! Getting there, getting there... R and R so I actually know you like it, pretty please? <em>-puppy eyes- <em>


	4. IV

Kleenex warning maybe? Sappy moments alert?

* * *

><p><strong>IV<strong>

Kaname held back from groaning in frustration. His entire body had been paralysed for what seemed to be the longest of times. Quite possibly, had he been in his optimum condition, the hunter's weaponary effect would have worn off ages ago. It was not helping that Zero was stuck in the same room as him, the sweet yet coppery scent of blood intoxicating his senses. He had to do something about the latter, if they wanted to make it 'til dawn. Alive, that it.

"Kiryuu."

Without looking at the other, Zero asked 'what?'.

"It would be a lot more... convenient if you are able to possibly, sit a little further." The last thing the pureblood wanted to do was lunge for Zero's throat and suck him dry. When he could finally move, of course. His fingers were already twitching, indicating that his body's normal function was returning.

Zero merely replied with a snort. "If I could, I would," he partially lied. Although his mobility had not been as compromised as the pureblood's, his injury, bullet still imbedded, was burning in its wake. He had to get that damn bullet out soon, before his vampiric healing returns and decide to encase the metal with flesh. _That_ would be a bitch.

Another hidden agenda to his stay, of course, was to watch over the other vampire. Jyouma could have decided to turn around to finish them off. It was clear that the pureblood was unusually weakened, and Zero knew it was partially his fault. He had taken a fair amount of Kaname's blood earlier in the night.

"I thought you usually had that underling of yours to protect you. Seiren, was it?" The hunter questioned. Where ever that woman was hiding, she was sure to appear to her lord's defence. With her, they might have actually stood a chance against the older hunter, or by the least avoid the casualties.

"Hanabusa had been attacked prior to Daine's visit here. I had to make sure he was watched over, and that the other nobles are informed of his doings," Kaname explained, feeling weary all of a sudden. It was not the only feeling that was growing, though. His eyes had began to stare at the red stained patch on the hunter's white top.

"There's something called a phone," the other snorted, as if stating the obvious.

"You've been oblivious to what's been happening, Kiryuu." Those words made Zero frown a little, but he made no comment about it. "The Association and the Council have been spending tremendous amounts of effort into tracking you down. They've been alert to every persons and calls of those who know you. I had simply resorted to the traditional ways of sending a messenger."

"So even you are made to grovel at their feet? That's a first."

That had the pureblood chuckling for a second. "It's not so much of 'groveling at their feet'. Many decisions are left to the Association and Council who govern the people. My position as a pureblood is a high status. Affairs not concerning me are left to them."

"But because _this_ concerns you, you've decided to take action, huh." _Concerning Yuuki_.

Zero hid the ache in his chest. He had been used to various forms of harsh words and treatment. The fact that he had been shoved under the bed like dust was nothing new.

"I'm sorry." The hunter froze. Had he heard wrongly?

Glancing over his shoulder, lilac met orbs which held a maroon shade, somewhere between Kaname's usual hazel ones, and crimson of the vampiric side. From Zero's perspective, it had been the first time he had seen the pureblood laying down like this. The fine, brown locks curled beneath the vampire's head on the floor. Without the menacing aura Kaname tend to elicit, he looked pretty normal. A little vulnerable, even.

"I had mistaken that you had intentionally hurt her."

The hunter lowered his head, averting his gaze. "...No. Charm or not, it doesn't change the fact that I had..." Feeling a sudden stinging sensation in his eyes, Zero used the hand that was not clutching his wound to clasp over his eyes.

It was not often, but he recognised the signs of tears. Funny... He hadn't even shed a single one since the day he drove the sword through her chest. He swallowed back the lump that formed in his throat, along with the tears that threatened to slip. "She shouldn't have sent me that note, and I should have never gone there to meet her. It was a grave mistake on my part. And now, there's no way to rectify it."

Kaname could finally move the upper half of his body. He listened to the hunter's words carefully, as he came to sit. His eyes never once left the other. Zero was shaking without his own knowing.

"Now that you know what had truly happened, you should just get over and done with it. It doesn't matter anymore, because at the end of it, I'm still as good as dead. Be it Association or Council... I would rather that you be the one to-"

"Stop this nonsense!" The brunette snapped, catching Zero totally off guard. Strong hands grabbed the hunter's arms and pulled him around so that the two vampires faced each other. Zero winced greatly at the tug, shoulder firing off another wave of intense pain. "I'm sorry," Kaname's voice softened to a much gentler tone. "Yuuki... Isn't the first woman I've lost. There was someone else in my past... _life_ that I found myself loving dearly. She sacrificed herself for a great cause.

"Because of this, I grew to be very protective. I became selfish, to the point that it had driven Yuuki over the edge. She couldn't take it anymore. She still loved you, Kiryuu. I admit... I was jealous of that. When I heard that you had... supposedly killed her, no words could have described my anger. Because I knew she loved you. Yet, she had fallen to such fate after meeting you."

Kaname sucked in a lungful of air. The scent of the hunter's blood was overwhelming at this point. However, he did not want to give in. He resisted the urge to sink his aching fangs into the delicious neck before him.

"Please, _Zero_. Tell me... everything that had happened."

_=Flower=_

_The hunter received an anonymous note in his apartment that was written in a handwriting he knew too well. It stated to meet him at the place where 'they' had first seen each other. That meant the old cottage on the mountains far from town. Zero had to tread through snow just to reach to the lone structure that still stood strong against the harsh weathers. Nothing inside changed, save the cloths shielding the furniture from dust. _

_He removed the one that was on the couch, and sat down, waiting for her arrival. While doing so, the place brought back the past. Subconsciously, he could see the figure of his young self with Yuuki, sitting around in the room he was in. There were images of when Yuuki, kind-hearted as she always was, would try to engage the solemn child of him to play games. To do things kids their age would be doing, together with Kaien who had been a great, but not always the ideal, father figure. He recalled the ups and downs of the times he had within this little cottage._

_For three years, they had been apart. The memories they had created when they were younger seemed almost surreal. Yet, when they had met once more, it was clear that they were not mere dreams. Even the vow they both swore to was a distant thought, never to surface again._

"_Zero..." A voice called out softly at first. Lilac eyes glanced up without malice. In fact, they widened a little, when a lithe form rushed forward. Yuuki had, quite literally, charged up into the seated form. The hunter could not help but give a small smile. His hands came to wrap around the lady who had began to sob against his coat. Zero patted Yuuki on the small of her back, soothing her back to calmness. _

"_You didn't even think twice about running towards me... What if I had done something bad?" The ex-human sighed, breathing in the famliar secnt after. _

_The brunette pulled back to an arm's length, and giggled despite the tears trickling down her cheeks. "Woman's intuition." _

_Zero could only nod. "The scariest intuition of all." Yuuki merely laughed in reply._

"_Did you escape the estate?" Zero asked as he watched Yuuki settle beside him. She folded her legs underneath her, the black dress covering them. He did not mind the girl looping her arms around his, leaning against him. _

"_No, Kaname let me go. I told him that I was a child no longer, and cannot forever be in his protection." _

"_He couldn't have let you off just like. You must've done something, didn't you?" The hunter snorted, knowing the girl. A small giggle confirmed his suspicion. _

"_That's a secret," Yuuki placed a finger on her lips, indicating that nothing was going to be revealed. Zero could only shake his head to it. If there was only thing the female could keep, it was secrets. "Hey Zero, do you still love Kaname?" _

_The sudden question had the hunter blushing right away. Zero looked ahead where the door of the living room was situated. "Even if I said that I didn't, you'd know I'm lying." _

"_I would," came another giggle. Yuuki fell silent after, and the entire cottage was quiet for about a minute or so. She merely snuggled closer to the taller male."Zero, I'm going to leave tomorrow." _

"_Where are you going?" The hunter asked out of curiosity. _

"_Somewhere far, where no one can reach me. Not even you, or Kaname." _

"_Will you come back?" _

_Yuuki smiled. "Perhaps." She snuggled closer to the other for warmth, not that she really needed it._

"_Will you stay with me 'til dawn?"_

"_Yeah..." Zero tilted his head and his chin easily rested on the shorter person's head. It came to remind him of the days when they were back at the academy. Yuuki had the tendency to fall asleep anytime, anywhere. Sometimes, during their guardian watch, she would sit beside him, only to snooze off. He would often make fun of her, stating how she would snore or drool. That tend to land him a few fists in the arm. _

_The ex-human smiled a little at the memory. Although their meeting was going to be short, especially since they had not seen each other for three years, he was happy. _

_When morning came, Zero woke to Yuuki missing from his side. That was not a common occurence. Add the fact that he had never even sensed her moving. Alarmed, he immediately stood from the couch, stepping out of the living area. He searched the coridor, and saw that the front door was ajar. Snow coated the doorway, indicating that it had been open for a while. He went outside right away. _

_Nothing could have prepared him for the scene he witnessed. It made his blood turn to ice. _

_Yuuki was there, some ten yards away, back pressed against a large cross that was embedded in the ground. Her wrists and ankles were tied to the structure behind her, like some sort of crucification. The brunette's head hung low, her long hair and dress flowing in the winds. _

"_Yuuki!" Zero shouted, running towards the pureblood. _

_Just as he was about halfway, a jolt of electricity coarsed through his entire body and he fell on his knees, gasping out. The snow around where he stood seemed to have melted, and lilac eyes widened at the sight of a symbol on the ground, and he was standing right in the middle of it. _

"_Zero, Zero... Has all your training been for naught?" A male's voice questioned. It echoed from Yuuki's direction, and the hunter glared at it. From behind the cross, a man in his forties stepped forth. He had short, cropped black hair and a set of dark brown eyes. A cigarette hung from his mouth, and the man rubbed at his unkempt stubble. "One would know better than to rush in unprepared." _

"_Jyouma-san..." Zero uttered out, eyes widened in disbelief. _

"_Miss me, boy?" The older male took a drag from the cigarette before tossing it into the snow. "It seems like you've been well, despite being a 'D." _

_The young hunter turned away, as if ashamed. He had long accepted his place in both the human and vampire society, but it had not meant that he liked it rubbed in his face. _

"_It took quite some time and effort to find you. Then again, I did make a few stop overs as well."_

"_Why are you here?" Zero growled out. He could not move. The charm on the ground activated again, and this time it brought him to all fours on his elbows. Another cry escaped him as an electrical current was being dispersed through his body. It targetted certain points of his body purposefully, drawing out the vampiric side of him. His eyes were crimson when they glanced up at the cause of all this. _

_In Jyouma's other hand that had not been holding the cigarette, was a charm folded into an origami. It took the shape of a paper crane. _

"_Fulfil your duty as a hunter, Zero. Kill this vampire here." _

"_No, I will not," the ex-human hissed out. He tried to fight the charm's bindings, using all his might to pick himself up. However, every inch of his muiscle that moved caused his entire form to tremble under an electric current. It felt like he was being jammed with a tazer over and over again._

"_Are you turning your back against the Association?" _

"_I'm just not breaking any laws." Yuuki was not an E. There was no need for an execution. In fact, it would be a crime instead._

_Jyouma knew this, of course. He was under a five year house arrest because of such a complacent rule. _

"_Still such a kid. Hadn't Yagari taught you well?" _

"_Don't bring sensei into this!" A roar erupted from the vampire that was now baring its fangs. _

"_You're being fooled, boy! You will now learn what being a true vampire hunter is! Unbound by laws or rules – our only goal is to remove the existence of every goddamn vampire, pureblood or not!" That instant, the symbol under Zero glowed even brighter. Jyouma recited something under his breath, and Zero felt every nerve fibre in his body scream in reaction. The pain had been so instense that he was sure unconsciousness took over him for a few seconds. _

_When he did recover, he found himself standing right before Yuuki's slumped form. The hunter could now see the wires that had bound the pureblood to the cross behind her. Whatever material they were made from, was strong. There were minimal coils around the wrists, but it was tough enough to keep the slumped figure pressed against the cross._

"_Yuu-" Zero froze, when he realised that he could not move. Not voluntarily, anyway. For some reason, his brother's katana he had always carried along was clasped in both his hands, unsheathed. When he willed himself to let the sword go, nothing happened. _Move... move, dammit!

"_Your irrational love of these vampires makes you unworthy of being a hunter," Jyouma's voice said. The voice sounded behind the younger hunter, but Zero could not move a muscle, much less turn and face the man._

"_Release me," Zero hissed out. The katana was shaking in his grip, torn between remaining in place and attempting to move. _

"_I will... after you quell your ridiculous love for your enemy." _

"_What-" _

_The hunter's face paled, when his limbs moved on their own accord. He could feel them shifting, but it was not under his control. Dread was sinking into his gut, along with anger. His arms and fingers were twitching in their wake, and Zero was gritting his teeth hard to fight for dominance over the charm. His gaze flicked over at the brunette who still remained umoving._

_Yuuki was stronger than this. She could break out of these binds easily. All she had to do was open her eyes. She would be their key to their escape. No... her escape. Wake, and kill him, along with Jyouma._

"_Yuuki, wake up!" Zero yelled, desperation in his tone. _Please, oh god...

_The katana was raised at Yuuki's chest level, inches away from her heart. The very tip of the katana was trembling._

"_YUUKI!"_

_The brunette's head was thrown backwards when the steel blade pierced through her chest, left of her sternum. Blood immediately seeped through the wound, staining her black dress a darker shade. The scent of blood struck Zero, and the hunter was paralysed. _

_Slowly, but surely, Yuuki lowered her head, so that she could meet Zero's eyes that were wide in shock. _

"_Yuuki..." _She had been awake the entire time. _"Why...?"_

"_Please live, Zero," Yuuki whispered. There was not a single trace of fear or sadness in her eyes. Not even pain. Instead, she smiled at him. It never faded even as her head lowered further, her body turning limp. _

"_Yuuki..." The name escaped his lips once more before a blow struck him in the back of his neck. Zero felt his consciousness start to fade. Just as he did, he distinctely heard the person he loved speak a few more words. He slipped into a black abyss, wishing that he would never wake again. _

_=Flower=_

"When I woke... She was still there, tied to the cross. Ichiru's katana was still in her..." Zero uttered, staring at the hands that had executed the murder. Though the blood which stained them were his own, he could only imagine them being hers. "I... couldn't leave it in her, so I had to pull it out. It took a while since it was embedded deeply, and the Association witnessed that very moment. So, it wasn't wrong that I killed her. I took Yuuki's life."

Kaname could not identify the emotions that were coarsing through his blood. A part of him told him it was anger, and another sadness. Guilt and pity seemed to be present as well. But most of all, it had been pain. That was something he could not lie to himself about. Now that he knew what had truly happened, he felt utterly lost for the first time in his life.

A hand of his was raised, and the pureblood reached over, clasping the back of Zero's neck. He could not see the other's face clearly from his angle, and the latter still had a hand shielding his eyes. Kaname's nails had darkened a few shades near grey, and his nails grew longer at an inhuman rate, their ends razor sharp. His grip on the vulnerable neck tightened a little, and it had caught the hunter's attention.

Zero stiffened at the contact. The hand on his neck was cold, and there was the unmistakable prickling of sharp points. He knew what it had meant – this was not the first time he had experienced it. Well, he had been prepared for this ages ago.

"When I found you before Yuuki's grave..." The pureblood started, almost in a whisper. "What were your intentions then?"

The ex-human took a quiet, deep breath and swallowed. It was also meant to clear another lump that had formed in his throat. With just about all information leaked from him, he found no further need to lie. "Atone for my sin," he whispered back. "To give back Yuuki the life that belonged to her a long, long time ago."

"You are a fool, Kiryuu."

Said person was almost tempted to smile. Yes, he was a fool. A fool who should have never perservered living, when all he could bring was death. He hated himself so, so much.

"Yuuki had told you to live. Your brother would have wanted you to live. Are you simply going to abandon their wishes and choose the easiest way out?" Kaname hissed out. The hand on Zero's neck shifted and grabbed the silver locks, forcing the hunter to face him. "I will not let you, Kiryuu. Not after what they've done for you."

Zero's eyes were wide, staring into blazing crimson orbs. He was at a loss for words, hearing what the brunette had just said. Anger started to swell in his chest, and it did not take much to set the hunter's emotions on fire.

"Why!?" The ex-human spat, moving his hand to grab the front of the pureblood's shirt. It had not even mattered to him the searing pain of his wounded shoulder. He pulled both of their faces close. "Why can't you do it, you coward!"

"Who is the coward here, Kiryuu!" The pureblood's fingers tightened on the silver hair, eliciting a small wince from the other vampire. "I will not let you run from reality."

"I will run, as much as I want, if it means that I have to face the reality that I killed Yuuki." Zero's fist on the black shirt slackened. His head dropped, landing on the pureblood's shoulder. He could not even bring himself to care about the embarrassment his actions would bring. "I can't live... if it means that you will hate me forever."

Kaname felt a sudden, warm wetness on his shoulder. It was accompanied with the scent of something salty... tears?

"Either the Association or the Council will do away with me in any case... I'd rather leave my life in your hands, Kaname."

"Kiryuu..."

Zero reared up all of a sudden, on his knees either side of Kaname's. The latter could finally see his face then. Tears were trickling down the side of the boy's cheeks. This was the first time the brunette had seen him cry. It had been an astonishing sight, if not endearing. There was a temptation to reach up and brush away the tears, if it were not for Zero initiating a movement quicker than he could.

Both of the hunter's hands clasped Kaname's face gently by their palms, and Zero lowered his face to meet the others. Lips touched each other, but there were no further intimacy other than that. The very location they both came in contact at tingled at the loss.

Kaname understood, then, what Zero had meant by the words he had last spoken. The hunter loved him. So much that he would rather not live. But since when? They had only met again a mere two weeks back.

"Ever since we were in the academy..." A soft whisper seemed to answer the unsaid question. "No, maybe even after the first time I met you at the mountain cottage. I should have never let myself fall in love with you." Zero turned away, letting Kaname's face go. "It's wrong of me to... so I should lea-"

The hunter's wrist was snatched, preventing him from retreating further. Lilac eyes stared into bloodred ones. However, he felt no animosity. They were simply staring in contemplation.

Something in the brunette tugged at his heart. It felt as if he was going to lose something that he could never retrieve again.

"You said that you'd leave your life in my hands, didn't you?" The pureblood questioned. When he received no response, only a confused gaze, he repeated his question in a stronger, more demanding tone.

Zero succumbed to his fate. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "Yes." He was ready. He had always been. Now the only thing he could really wonder about was what Kaname intended to do. Slash his throat? Rip his heart out? Or maybe-

The ex-human let out a muffled gasp when his lips were crushed against firmer, stronger ones. In midst of protesting, Kaname deepened the kiss, dragging his tongue against one that had been more unwilling. One of his hands pressed against the back of Zero's neck, forcing the latter to remain in place to be devoured. The other assisted by keeping a firm grip on the wrist that was trying to push him away.

The older vampire sucked, licked and caressed with surprising gentleness, and eventually Zero gave in to it. The hunter never saw this coming at all. As he was being eased into the kiss, he winced a little when his tongue was being cut by an abnormally sharp fang which was not his. It was immediately being lapped at. He ended up moaning into the kiss, having a new found will to try and push the pureblood away.

"Your life is now mine, Zero," Kaname whispered, and the ex-human shuddered a little at the call of his name. "That means I control everything that is yours. Your body..." He trailed off, a hand dwelving under the white shirt before him. Zero held back a gasp. "Your heart..." The very hand drifted across the skin to rest over the warm chest. "And your soul."

The hunter had to bite through his own lip to prevent a shout from escaping. Kaname had plunged his fangs through the very spot on Zero's neck that pulsated the greatest. A pale hand fisted the front of the brunette's black shirt, gripping so tightly that it had started to tear a little. The pureblood paid no heed to that, since his senses were filled only with Zero. The blood he swallowed had been deliciously warm, bitter yet sweet at the same time. He had not taken much, maybe a few shallow gulps at most. Zero had his own injury to heal from, and Kaname had kept that fact in mind.

Releasing the quivering form, the brunette licked the puncture wounds. There was a brief sigh of relief when Zero felt his neck turn numb slightly, before it healed under the pureblood's ministrations. That left the other wound to deal with. Tugging the collar over the injured shoulder, Kaname was slightly amused by how the garment had easily slipped off. It was partially due to the stretchy material of the clothing, but Zero had been leaning on the skinny side for a while now. That allowed full access to the gun wound right next to the shoulder joint, but the pureblood frowned when he saw the state of it.

Some of the hunter's muscles had already regenerated over the bullet, which complicated things a whole lot more. Zero noticed it as well and he mentally groaned at the trouble it could bring.

"We have to get the bullet out."

"No shit, Sherlock..." The hunter grumbled. Kaname smirked at the remark. "Get it out." That had the brunette raising an eyebrow, wondering if he had heard wrongly. Zero's serious expression said otherwise.

"Are you sure?"

"It's not deep... And I think it shouldn't be in there for too long. I can't really feel my arm anymore." That said, Zero had not really moved that arm for a while.

Kaname was not entirely sure what the bullet's effect could be. Had it been a normal one, Zero could probably wait hours before it required attention. However, knowing that it was manufactured by the hunters... Time should probably not be wasted. As Zero had mentioned, the boy was already losing sensations in his arm. Who knew what it could progress to.

The pureblood leaned over close to the wound, starting off by licking away some of the dried blood on the skin below the wound. He felt Zero's other arm encircle his neck cautiously, as if in encouragement. He was not going to look too much into it, though. Kaname continued licking the area around the wound, numbing it first.

Kaname used the chance to clean up any blood, not letting it go to waste. He tossed the lilac eyes a brief glance, signalling to the other that he was going to make his move. Without much of a hesitance, the pureblood drove a fang through the flesh, and Zero let out a cry. It had hurt a lot more in the deeper muscles, as the teeth were traumatising it once more. A strong arm held the hunter in place, ensuring that he could not pull back.

By the stroke of luck, Kaname had caught the groove of the bullet's rim with his fang on the first bite. Not waiting another second, he tugged the foreign object out. Zero unintentionally held onto the other's shoulder, burying his face into the crook of the pureblood's neck. His breath was heaving, trying to prevent himself from going into shock. Kaname tossed aside the bullet before tending to the re-opened wound. Blood was spilling once again, but the muscles regenerated a lot quicker with the pureblood's help. He never stopped lapping at it, even when skin had fully sealed the injury.

"Kuran... that's enough..." Came an almost meek voice. When Kaname peered to the side, he saw that Zero's face was red. He could only smirk at it.

"No. You started this," the vampire accused.

Moving away from the skin that had now healed flawlessly, Kaname continued licking and nipping the skin along the shoulder, creeping towards the pale column. He intentionally let his fangs harmlessly drag over the flesh, knowing it would be sending chills down the hunter's spine. On the side opposite to the tattoo, he made a hard nip at the junction of the neck, sucking it hard after. Using his expertise, he made sure that his infliction would last for days as a red mark on the other's skin. It had been a little trick the pureblood had under his sleeves for ages.

Zero evidently winced, even though the pain was not as bad as what he had experienced a moment ago. He was clueless to what the pureblood had done, thinking that the latter was simply teasing him. When he pulled back a little, he stared down at hazel brown eyes, which returned the gaze with equal intensity.

Kaname could see the slight redness of the hunter's eyes from the crying earlier on. It was a sight to behold, seeing the usually prideful Zero in tears. There was no denial that it had caused Kaname to waver in his emotions. Zero's words played a part as well. Though, now he knew it was partially his fault. He had not been treating the ex-human fairly, having only acted according to the circumstances. But there was much hidden behind those closed doors. He had been blinded by Yuuki's death that all his logic had been misplaced.

"I'm sorry, Zero," the pureblood uttered out another time as his thumb brushed against Zero's cheek. "To have entirely blamed you for her death without knowing."

Lilac eyes closed, and the younger vampire tilted his cheek to the warm touch. "No... You have every right to think that way." Zero's hand reached up, and took the hand that caressed his faced. "For a while... be it an hour... no. Even if it's just for five minutes... Can you make me forget everything?"

* * *

><p>Did that make you cry? Lol. I admit, I was tearing a bit (okay, a lot. A whole packet of disgusting tissue is in my bin). So, the story is unfolding, and we're pretty much there.<p>

Anywho, for those who had been following my stories for a while... I guess your patience shall be rewarded(?) The next chapter, by hook or by crook, will be a smut scene. I shall now go hide under a rock XD

KanaXZero ftw?


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